Justification:
Assessed as Critically Endangered due to its very restricted geographic range. Lake Barombi Mbo is 4.53 km2 and therefore qualifies for Critically Endangered under criteria B1 and B2. This can be considered to be one location, as it is highly likely that the entire lake would be effected by pollution or any other negative impact. Introduced species, siltation, water pollution and water extraction all contribute to a continuing decline in the quality of this species habitat.

Pungu maclareni is a demersal fish that inhabits the shallow water of the lake shore, (less than 4 m deep). It feeds mainly on benthic invertebrates (mayfly, caddis and chironomid midge larvae), and the females are mouth brooders.

Lake Barombi Mbo is at risk from the effects of introduced crustaceans and fishes, siltation from local deforestation and water pollution, all of which pose a threat to P. maclareni, (Duker and Borre 2001). The small size of the lake renders it particularly vulnerable to siltation due to land-use change or water extraction for agriculture and domestic use: lake level fluctuations in Lake Barombi Mbo have impacted fish breeding sites (Dudgeon et al. 2006). Pungu maclareni is also collected from Lake Barombi Mbo for the aquarium trade.

Robins, C.R., Bailey, R.M., Bond, C.E., Brooker, J.R., Lachner, E.A., Lea, R.N. and Scott, W.B. 1991. World fishes important to North Americans. Exclusive of species from the continental waters of the United States and Canada.